Third Shift
by Xmastreelites
Summary: Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins paid their dues in so many ways in "Second Shift" and we last saw them at peace chasing their dreams on the independent circuit. Sadly, their relationship fell apart. But they are set to meet again - this time in the WWE developmental territory. Find out what went SO wrong. Can they mend their friendship or is there too much to forgive?
1. Chapter 1

"Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again ..."

Seth Rollins was lean, ripped, at his peak as he stuffed his gym bag into a locker - not just a locker, _his_ locker - at Florida Championship Wrestling where he'd finally found his place. He knew he deserved to be here. He'd brought his game up to a level that he only wished for when he was in Tampa last. That was years ago, now. He'd been a child; fresh out of trouble with the authorities and in some kind of extreme puppy love with his degenerate boyfriend, Dean Ambrose. That was in the past. The last time he'd spoken with Dean was over a crackling phone line while Dean was wrecked on drugs and booze in Puerto Rico. After that call, Rollins had gathered his belongings and left the apartment they shared in East Philadelphia. Everything was in his name anyway and he simply moved without telling Dean. He could only imagine that Dean came home to an empty apartment aside from a box of Dean's items the landlady agreed to hold on to and the hard-living, hard-headed Dean decided that Seth wasn't worth hunting down.

As he stared into his locker, Seth ground his teeth together. He wondered how the hell it had happened for Dean. How did that fucking troublemaker manage his way to the FCW roster? Over the last few years, Seth had certainly heard plenty about Dean and knew he was doing well with his not-so-fictional persona and brute style. Sure, he had a following that was pretty strong and he'd been putting on good matches but he was mostly known for getting bloody and drunk with those CZW idiots. Every time Rollins referred to Combat Zone Wrestling as a bunch of "idiots," a little swell of guilt filled his chest. He knew that many of the guys working there were amazing wrestlers and belonged right there with him. He was just bitter; feeling as though Dean must've gotten into the WWE developmental program through some loophole for jackasses.

Just then, Rollins squeezed his eyes shut as he heard that gravel-bedded voice, "How ya doin' boys?" Ambrose breezed in as nonchalantly as if he were entering the ring at the state fair. It angered Rollins instantly. He heard the other guys greet Dean without the resentment that filled him. The tall, smooth-talking wrestler with the dirty-blonde messy hair had been around for almost a week and Rollins had still managed to avoid him. But every day felt like walking in a minefield, trying to avoid that initial conversation. He wished he'd just said "Hello" the first day and gotten it out of the way. Now it mattered. Now it was a thing. Now there was an obvious tension. It was only obvious to him and, he was sure that Dean felt it too but not the other guys. Although Ambrose did a great job of acting as if Seth was invisible. It was infuriating. It's all Seth thought about and he'd botched a move the first day Dean was near the ring. He gave a lightning-quick glance toward Dean who was standing with his toned arms crossed. The brunette was certain he saw a smirk.

Eventually, the ice would have to get broken. It looked it might be today. He heard William Regal speaking to Dean. He hated the way the legend seemed so impressed with Ambrose. "Didn't you come up in Tampa with Rollins? You both worked for old Don?"

A low chuckle came from Dean's throat. "Yeah, we, uh, we trained together for a little bit. I lost track of the guy though." Rollins could've choked Dean. But in honesty, it was exactly what happened. He'd disappeared from Dean's life on purpose.

"He's right over there." Then Regal's musical accent added those dreaded words. "Go say 'Hi'."

Seth was going to play this cool. He was going to turn and face Dean and extend a hand before the blonde could. He planned on looking right through Dean and letting him know that he had zero importance in his life. He turned around confidently to see Ambrose unzipping his bag and Regal was strolling away. "No, of course, you couldn't be decent about it," Rollins said through clenched teeth.

Dean stopped opening his bag and then - as slowly as ice melting - looked up. "Huh?" He looked confused as if Seth's anger was something he couldn't fathom. "What are you talking about?"

There was no erasing that moment from time. Ambrose was as cool as fucking James Dean himself. But Seth had a red, angry face and looked flustered and embarrassed. It was done. All the cards were face up on Seth's side of the table and Dean casually looked them over. "Really?" That's all Seth could muster. He looked around and noticed that no one had heard his original comment or was even paying attention. Though he did miss the sharp eyes of Regal who watched the exchange with muted curiosity. He even smiled a bit and then walked off, knowing he'd set something in motion. It was good for the ring; tension. And he'd had a feeling there was a lot of it between those two boys.

"Really, Seth." Ambrose answered quietly, extra calm, and lazily. "What do you want from me? It's a little late for me to say the right thing, don't ya think?"

Rollins knew goddamn well it was too late and what did he want from Dean? He was on the figurative ropes here. He ran his fingers through his hair and slipped it into a ponytail. He composed himself. "Forget it, man." He looked out over the locker room. "I'm just tired. I work my ass off like, all the time. So I'm pretty beat."

"Yeah?" Dean could see the fragile ego of his ex had shattered like cheap glass. "Well, you are the main draw, I'm sure." He smirked and licked his lips.

Rollins grew serious and decided not to play games. "You were and always will be a shit human being, Dean. You're a fucking jerk. Have your laugh. I'm done." Seth walked away quite calmly. Because he felt much calmer. He'd made the mistake of trying to play the player. That wasn't his style. He needed to be straightforward and be true to himself. He felt like a weight was lifted.

"Sorry," Ambrose called after him with amusement in his voice. Rollins gave him the bird over his shoulder. Dean laughed. "Alright then. Whatev…" His expression and demeanor sobered as Seth left the locker room. Dean elbowed the locker behind him with a swift strike. There was no way he could begin to deny that Rollins was still very much a part of him - every memory, every kiss, every fuck, every fight. And, especially, that last fight - over the phone and miles apart.

"Are you getting out to the ring?" William Regal's voice was soft yet made him jump. The Englishman smiled. "Or just having a go at the locker?"

"Uh, yeah, yeah." Dean stood confidently and smiled. "I was just lost in thought for a minute." He headed for the door.

"I see that," Regal said quietly. He followed. He had a feeling his days were going to become more interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hello darkness, my old friend

I've come to talk with you again

Because a vision softly creeping

Left its seeds while I was sleeping" - Sound of Silence

 _A/N: Those lyrics are so very fitting although delivered into my head by the beautiful screams of David Draiman of Disturbed rather than the original Simon & Garfunkel version. Still, they fit what's going on in my head and what's going on in the minds of my Dean and Seth. _

_A vision of adding to "Second Shift" has come to my thoughts many times. Enough that I actually wrote and then trashed a few chapters back in 2015. But I still love the story of these two and want to continue. In the same sense, my version of Dean and Seth have yet to let go of some vision of their relationship._

 _Of course there were many wrestlers in "Second Shift" and many not playing the parts of wrestlers. That was a major point for me to NOT write this story. But I've decided that we can work around that and enjoy this as a new story. To be honest, I am going to try to steer away from use of those wrestlers and since this story will not head into the appearance of The Shield, I think it will still be a fun Dean and Seth adventure without too many distractions. I am not just grateful but asking for any notices of typos etc. I have had a really horrible last several months and do become forgetful and stressed. So I will make mistakes. Your input is so appreciated. I hope this story is as fun to write as "Second Shift." I'm happy writing it and I hope you will be happy reading it. Thank you and much love - X T L._

Those first few months in Philadelphia were the best times in the guys' lives. They rented a nice but affordable one-bedroom apartment, using the money given to them by Thomas, Dean's caring grandfather. He was more like a father. He'd come to Dean's first major appearance with Dragon Gate USA and cheered so loudly that some of the younger audience members called him "that cool old guy." That wouldn't normally be a compliment but in the world of indy wrestling, it passed as a pretty respectful description.

Thomas had returned on several other occasions, bringing apples for Dean, gift cards for them from retailers like Walmart and Target and extra cash in the form of 10-dollar bills here and there. The guys had insisted that Thomas didn't need to give them anything except his company. However, as he'd been since first reuniting with Dean, he doted on his grandson without holding back. Wealth was something Thomas was so used to that it hurt his feelings when the boys refused his gifts. They'd learned to be gracious and the truth was, it certainly helped. It wasn't exactly a surprise that indy wrestling wasn't a steady check. They both worked side jobs; construction gigs and Craigslist odd jobs when they could find them.

As promised, Seth's parents had come to visit. They'd made the trip just once the first six months but they didn't have the resources that Thomas had. They had flown up for a main event at Ring Of Honor featuring their talented son. Still, they had their jobs to get back to and left the day after the match. Although Rollins loved that his parents had come for his big match, he wished that they were as flexible as Thomas could be. He missed them so much. Seth envied Dean's closeness to his grandfather but he also knew Dean needed more care right now. Ambrose was good and he was popular but he'd yet to have a main event, even on a lightly booked show. He was frustrated and it was starting to show.

When their one-year lease on their apartment came due for renewal, they decided that it was best to move to another apartment. They needed to save money and their current apartment was just too expensive. Seth was gone quite a bit to shows in other cities and had an invite to go to Japan as well. They moved to a cheaper apartment that was still nice enough and in a pretty good neighborhood but certainly not as nice as their first apartment. Rollins, whose bank account was bigger and employment history looked more stable, put everything in his name. Ambrose didn't seem to mind. It crossed Seth's mind often that surely Thomas was still sending Dean money and he worried himself to the point of physical sickness sometimes, wondering what Dean might be doing with it. He refused to ask.

 _Six months later ..._

The guys had been in Philadelphia for well over a year and it was going better and better - for Seth. He was still with Ring Of Honor and performed in Japan and he continued to travel on a regular basis. Dean had started strong with Dragon Gate USA but it seemed he was getting booked less and less. He had no idea why. He'd improved technically in a major way over a short period of time and his persona seemed to be a crowd favorite. He couldn't believe that politics were involved because he'd done very little to rock the boat. Seth had told him over and over that sometimes a company is just really pushing particular people and it's nothing personal. That didn't help. He missed being in the ring.

The tension between the two was obvious. That closeness they shared all those dreamy nights on Dean's houseboat seemed like very distant memories. Ambrose was growing jealous of Seth. He didn't want to be. He hated himself for it but he loved wrestling too. And seeing his mate get work constantly while he grew stagnant was gut-wrenching. If that weren't enough, there was the brunette's constant hovering. He was always "checking" on Dean to see if he was feeling good or if he'd been out that day or been to the gym. All Dean heard was "Are you going to get back on drugs?" He knew that's what Seth secretly worried about.

"How was your night?" Rollins asked as he entered the apartment. Ambrose didn't answer but kept watching the slasher movie on tv. "Hey?" Rollins waved a hand in front of his boyfriend's face.

"Fuck," Dean whined. "What?" He motioned at the tv. "This is like - the best part." He was watching "Halloween" for perhaps the hundredth time. He smacked the leather sofa loudly when Seth grabbed the remote and turned the movie off. "What the fuck? I just said that I was watching that." Ambrose stood. "Give me the fucking remote."

"Fuck that movie. You've seen it a million times." The brunette set the remote aside and pulled Dean down on the sofa with him. "Come on. Watch me for awhile." He looked up from under his thick lashes and flashed a sexy grin.

"You've been watched all night," The blond said gruffly. "How many came out tonight?"

"It was a decent crowd," Seth answered. "But who cares? I want to hang out with you." He scooted closer to Dean who seemed distant and angry, his new regular mood. He ran his hand along Dean's thigh.

"Well, I was already hanging out with Michael Meyers," Dean said stubbornly and slid the remote control back to where he sat. He flipped the tv back on. Jamie Lee Curtis was on the screen, screaming as Michael Meyers chased her about the house with a butcher knife.

"There is something seriously wrong with you." Rollins walked towards the kitchen to get a bottle of water.

"Maybe you should have a fucking intervention for me or something," Dean called after him. "You know, since I'm so fucked up and everything." It had been around two years since Seth did plan an intervention for Dean and forced him into rehab for an addiction - mostly to pills and cocaine - that nearly destroyed his life. The moment he'd made the remark, Ambrose regretted it. That intervention had saved his life, saved him from prison, saved his wrestling career. And he'd just spoken to Seth as if it was something Seth had done to hurt him.

Ambrose walked into the dimly lit kitchen. The only light was from the refrigerator that Rollins was staring into. He had his water in his hand already but just looked into the appliance blankly. "Seth … um, Seth, I'm sorry." He walked over and closed the refrigerator door and put his arms around Seth. "Please don't stay mad."

"I'm not." Rollins spoke softly. He was hurt and that was even worse. Tears stung his eyes but didn't fall. He felt like crying; like breaking down and sobbing but who would take care of him? Dean? No, Dean was lost in his own pain these days. "I'm taking a shower." Rollins left the kitchen, setting the unopened bottle of water on the table. Dean heard the bathroom door shut and the water coming from the shower, shortly after.

"And that's how you fuck your relationship," Ambrose said to the empty room. He returned the water to the refrigerator. He stopped just short of the sofa, knowing that going to Seth right then was the best thing to do - go to him, and hold him, kiss him. But he sat down and slowly became engrossed in the end of "Halloween" and stayed planted on the sofa as the movie channel started the original Friday the 13th movie. He didn't even care about watching the film but was hypnotized by the screen as he escaped the real horror of his every day life. He didn't hear Seth softly say "Goodnight" from the hallway behind him and fell asleep on the sofa.

The following morning Dean awoke with midday sun streaming into the living area. He leaned over and looked out to see Seth's black Camry already gone. He'd picked up some construction work on a a renovation of a hotel in downtown Philly. The day Seth had gone to apply for the job, he'd urged Dean to come along as the construction company was hiring quite a few people to get started that day. The blond had refused and promised to go the next day. Of course, the job was full by the following day.

He remembered a tense conversation with Seth regarding the job.:

"I didn't feel like going. Fuck, this is the kind of day just a teeny-tiny bump wouldn't hurt."

"A bump?" Rollins said and then exploded. "Are you fucking kidding me? A bump! You mean like coke or Adderall or some of the other shit that, I don't know, ruined our fucking lives not that long ago."

"I was kidding," Ambrose said to his frantic partner. "Oh my fucking God. Can you pull yourself together?" He was aggravated with Seth for the outburst. "You sound like a hysterical bitch. Fuck. I was kidding."

He had been angry with Seth for his freakout and himself, for lying. He wasn't totally kidding. If someone had offered him some coke the day of the job hiring, he'd have been fine. He would've had energy and gotten right out of bed. He sometimes questioned whether there was much harm in a little coke or Adderall every once in a while. College kids used it to get through school but they weren't lifelong addicts.

 _Later that night ..._

When Seth pulled into the parking lot, he noticed a familiar vehicle and shook his head. The 90's model Mustang was bright orange with blacked-out lights and windows. It had loud, duel exhaust and a hood vent that didn't fit properly. He was not in the mood for Dean's obnoxious friend Isaac who insisted on being called Icy. It was something refused to do. Especially after last night's argument and Dean's cruel comment about his intervention, Seth couldn't handle too much; not tonight.

As he turned the unlocked doorknob, he could already hear the loud sounds of two drunk guys playing Halo. He made his way around the wall that made up the small foyer. Isaac was chugging a beer and cheering Dean's on-screen efforts. "Fuck! Ambrose you fuckin killer!" He had his sneakers on the sofa as he bounced like an idiot. It annoyed Seth to no end but he remained silent.

Rollins walked by the coffee table and dropped his keys loudly, making Dean jump. He handed the controller off to Isaac. "Take it home, Icy," Ambrose encouraged his friend and he followed Seth to the kitchen. "Hey, you," Dean whispered as he kissed the brunette's neck. "Long day."

Before answering, Seth grabbed a cold water and chugged the entire bottle. "Yeah," he answered as the cool liquid filled his hungry belly. He opened the freezer looking for one of the frozen pizzas he'd put aside for when he didn't feel like making a meal. They were gone. "Fuck, Dean." He turned an angry gaze on his boyfriend. "Where are the pizzas?"

"I don't know. I had a couple here, a couple there. They're gone. What? I was hungry." He was nice and buzzed on shots of Jager and Heineken chasers. All he wanted was to stay in his good mood and give his partner a tasty kiss. He leaned in but Seth pulled back.

"I'm hungry now," Seth was serious. "And there's no food." He pushed Dean back even further. "I busted my ass all day and I worked last night and come home to you and that fucking fag, Icy. You smell like booze." He looked towards the living area "And I know that fucker is just dying to suck your dick every time my back is turned. Now he's eating my food."

" _Your_ food? I see." Ambrose seemed much more sober. "I'm sorry we slackers ate _your_ food. God knows the almighty Tyler Black needs _his_ food." He turned on his heel and grabbed the controller from Isaac's hand and tossed it on the couch. "Come on, Isaac. We have to replace his majesty's fucking frozen pizza." He was pulling his drunken friend up roughly by the upper arm. "Get the fuck up!" He turned his anger on the unsuspecting Isaac.

"Dude, I'm too smashed to drive." Icy looked at Seth with that fear he always had in his eyes when the brunette stared at him. "Seth, man, I'm sorry about your pizza." He looked at the carpet quickly. He knew that Seth knew he wanted Dean. He also knew that he had no chance with Dean but he came around as long as the sexy bad boy would have him.

"You fucking pussy!" Dean gave Isaac a hard shove and the tall, slim young man fell over the coffee table. "You're apologizing over fucking frozen pizza. Pathetic! You're a goddamn retard, you know that?" He wasn't through belittling the man whose dyed-black hair fell into his eyes as he struggled to his feet. "Can you walk, Icy? Can you fuckin walk? You stupid limping bastard! Get up. Get the fuck out of my house."

Although Seth was not a fan of Isaac's, he could see Dean was taking his anger out on him. Isaac was just smitten enough to take Dean's abuse. "I'm sorry, Dean. Just Seth's pissed and you're yelling and I hate when people yell." He looked close to tears.

"Oh you hate yelling?!" Ambrose screamed in the young man's face. "Fuck you, Icy, you dumb cunt." He yanked the man up. "Get out. Walk the fuck home. Are you too drunk to walk? You live four blocks over, you dumb fuck. Why did you even drive?"

"I was carrying the beer and …" Dean cut him off mid-sentence with a shove towards the door. Within seconds, Isaac was on the other side of the door. He needed his keys at least for his house but was afraid to knock. He turned and started walking in the direction of his house. He lived with his single, working mother and he knew she'd be home by now. His buzz was quickly fading and tears filled his eyes as he turned the corner at the end of the block.

"You've lost your mind." Seth was speaking quietly, staring at Dean in shock. "You act like you're back on drugs. You know that?"

"You know what, Seth?" Ambrose was sweaty and still breathing heavily from his altercation with Isaac. "Who fucking cares if I am?"

"I do. I fucking care." Rollins had made the comment in anger but now he was frightened. This was the behavior he'd seen from Dean back when the drugs had their hold him. "Are you?" He followed Dean down the hallway to the bathroom and watched as the blond took his shirt off and splashed water on his face and neck. "Are you, Dean?"

Ambrose slipped on a fresh t-shirt and grabbed his keys from the foyer table. "I'm going after Icy." Seth quickly blocked the door. Surprisingly, Ambrose was quiet as he removed only his house key from the fob and set the rest down. "I'm walking. I have to say that I'm sorry. I'll get you some food too. Okay?"

Rollins didn't budge. "Dean, are you taking drugs?"

Ambrose's blue-grey eyes looked deeply into Seth's. "No." He waited for Seth to move. "I'll be back in a little while." He gave his boyfriend no time to say anymore and shut the door quietly. He broke into a jog to catch up with Isaac.

God, he hated lying to Seth.


	3. Chapter 3

_Warning: Smut ahead ;)_

The sun rose Saturday morning and Seth awoke to find himself alone in bed. Last night, Dean had left to chase down Isaac and make amends. Ambrose had screamed, cursed and shoved Isaac during a fit of rage that he really wanted to aim at Seth. He'd said that he'd return shortly but didn't. Rollins wasn't really surprised.

After Dean's hasty departure, Seth had walked down to the deli on the corner and ordered a couple of sandwiches. He'd eaten in silence with the television getting a long-deserved break. He'd taken a shower and changed into fresh sweats, leaving his top bare. He climbed into bed and hoped Dean would return. Despite the arguing and the scene that his boyfriend had made, the brunette still wanted to have sex last night. He missed sex with Dean and he would've done just about anything that Ambrose had wanted to do - even his boyfriend's rough play had a green light last night. It was simple. Rollins was horny and wanted to blow and get blown and get fucked - very much so. But he'd drifted to sleep; his cock half-hard as he waited for Dean's return.

Rollins walked sleepily into the bathroom to relief himself and brush his teeth before venturing to the kitchen for some orange juice. In the warmth of morning, he slipped off the sweats and was wearing tight boxer-briefs. He didn't have to work and for once, a very rare occurrence, wasn't booked to wrestle that night. He found Dean asleep on the couch; the television was on but the sound was turned down. It was still set to Dean's horror movie marathon channel and Seth recognized one of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies playing though he wasn't sure which. Dean would know instantly.

"Will you pour me a glass of that?" Dean asked quietly from the sofa. Seth looked down to see his boyfriend's light eyes pleading with him. The brunette assumed Dean was hung over and fetched his boyfriend some juice as well as bottled water. He sat down and was amused at the way the blond drank a sip from each; back and forth like that until the liquid was gone from both containers. "Thank you," Dean said earnestly. As if he felt that Seth was about to ask, Dean commented in a tired, scratchy voice, "I am hung to the motherfucking over."

He'd ended up staying into the wee hours of the morning at Icy's house. They'd played video games and Isaac's mom kept the liquor flowing. She was a stressed lady and Dean wasn't going to judge. She might drink herself into a coma on Friday night but five days a week she worked herself to the bone to keep herself and Isaac in a decent apartment. She worked long hours in an automotive parts warehouse and didn't party until her week was finished. Ambrose respected that. Meanwhile, Isaac worked part-time and attended a technical school, working towards a career in a lab, working with blood and the like. The idea of Icy running drug tests made Dean grin. But all in all, he wasn't the terrible kid that Seth seemed to think he was. He was just very insecure and tried too hard to be one of the people that "cool" came easily for like Dean and Seth.

"Thought you were coming back," Rollins mused, not really angry just compelled to point out to Dean that he' promised to return. Ambrose was silent. "I waited on you for awhile." The blond turned around to see a somewhat alluring look on his partner's face. "I wanted you to come to bed."

Ambrose scooted towards Seth. "You did?" He was feeling better after the double shot of hydration and moved even closer to Seth. He leaned in without another word and put a citrus-fresh kiss on his partner's neck. "You missed me?" The blond's voice was raspy and barely awake and had a sexy, thick sound.

"I missed you," Seth answered, eyes already closed and his body relaxed into the sofa. "Sooo bad," he whispered as Dean's kisses moved down his neck and to his muscular chest. Arguing seemed like a distant memory as Dean's sexy mouth both relaxed and excited his body. Dean's hands were sliding along Seth's firm thighs and inching towards the the bottom of his navy boxer-briefs. The brunette sighed deeply as his boyfriend's fingers slipped softly across his already stiff dick - teasing, trailing.

Ambrose's mouth followed his fingers, breathing across Seth's underwear-covered erection. "Bet you want that cock sucked," Ambrose mumbled with his mouth against the brunette's dick. Seth's sexy whine was a definite "yes." Dean licked Seth's hard shaft through the sheer fabric. "You want it so bad, baby." He loved to tease Seth. His partner pumped his hips up slowly trying to reach the blond's mouth. Dean put his mouth all over Seth's cock, knowing how bad his hot boyfriend wanted those briefs out of the way. Far too slowly, Dean slipped them down, catching the head of Seth's hard-on and letting it pop gently back to his muscled belly. Dean licked the bare flesh of Seth's cock. His partner moaned loudly.

"You want me to swallow you whole?" Ambrose teased as he licked along the length of Seth's cock.

"Fuck yeah." Rollins was humping against Dean's mouth and running his fingers through the messy mop of blond hair. "Yeah, swallow me. Suck me good." Rollins was feeling rather aggressive. He couldn't remember the last time they'd had sex. Dean didn't play anymore games and went straight for it. He took Seth's big cock into his mouth and deep to the back of it. The brunette held his breath for a moment just to get control of himself. He could've cum immediately. Dean started sucking up and down his partner's swollen cock and pushed Seth towards coming. Ambrose gave such good head. He got aggressive and went deep, covering every inch with saliva. He could taste Seth's precum already stinging his tongue.

Ambrose used one hand to open his own fly. He licked his palm and begin sliding his hand up and down his own hard dick. Just tasting Seth and watching him move made his own orgasm grow closer. Rollins was moaning loudly now, rolling his hips, pushing his cock into his lover's mouth. He noticed Dean furiously pumping himself and that made him even hotter. "Oh fuck. I'm gonna cum," He moaned and gripped Dean's hair, wanting his mate to swallow his hot load. Wild horses wouldn't have made Dean pull away. He loved the way his boyfriend tasted and bobbed his head quickly, getting Seth there. "Fuck!" A single curse word escaped Seth's lips as he began to spill seed into Dean's mouth. Dean sucked him thoroughly and took all of his lover's juices. As he finished off the last of Seth's cum, he shot his own load into his hand and moaned with Seth still in his mouth.

Both panted without speaking and it was moments like this that everything seemed like it would work out, that love would conquer all and the many cliches that made lovers stay together.


	4. Chapter 4

_*Hi guys, I wasn't honestly pleased with the last chapter I wrote but felt I needed to bring you something. Then I got extremely sick as in I had to go to hospital for a few days. However, I finally feel better and today, I felt the muses of my original Dean and Seth return and I felt that same great feeling that I did when I wrote their story in "Second Shift." I really felt the true spirit of my story and will try to remain on this journey with my original boys in my heart. Here's a nice long chapter for you! X T L. :) (In case you don't know: Philly is the city of Philadelphia US)_

After the delicious morning oral sex, the guys had showered together. They'd shared kisses and soaped each other's backs; they'd been close like it used to be and it was oh so sweet. The feeling was especially wonderful to Seth who'd been basically putting up with Dean's bad attitude on a constant basis, Today Dean seemed calm and it was natural. Seth could tell his boyfriend wasn't even really drunk anymore. It was just calm, relaxed Dean - Seth's favorite person. That afternoon the apartment felt like the days they'd spent sunning on top on Dean's boat; getting tans and sipping cold beer … jumping in the water when they got too hot and enjoying diving under the dark cool waters of Lake Aleda together. Those were wonderful days - watching Dean's dark-blond hair come to the surface from under Aleda's slightly emerald green water.

Now lying together with Philly's mild summer on them, all they needed was the window over the kitchen sink open for a breeze to keep them cool as they lay together on the sofa.

Ambrose lay on his side with a neutral-colored cushion under his head while Seth lay against him, spooned close. They quietly watched Dean's horror movies and wound their fingers together, put light kisses on each other and Dean often put his face into Seth's fresh-smelling soft hair. This was no boat in Florida but it was home - for the first time in a long time.

"I love you," Dean whispered. He was unsure if Seth was awake.

"I love you too," A sleepy voice answered. And Seth squeezed his partner's hand.

"I've been a jerk because you're working all the time and I can't get a 3-minute jobber match," Dean said as he spoke from the heart. There was no attitude or anger or some substance driving him to be anyone other than himself. "I see you climbing this ladder to, fuck, I don't know … WWE, Impact, just you know, somewhere great. And I feel all this shit. Happy. I mean it, Seth. Happy. But also jealous. And I'm scared. Why would you still need me?"

The brunette turned over. "I will always need you." He kissed Dean even as the blond tried to pull away. "Stop pulling back. These aren't pity kisses. I love you, idiot."

The two kissed deeply. Dean pulled Seth tight; almost on top of him. They looked into each other's eyes for a moment that would be awkward for some. But they'd been in love for a long time now. "You just called me an idiot," Ambrose whispered and the two broke into quiet laughter.

Seth sat up on the couch and stretched his back. "Well, if you think I'd forget you, you are." He took his ponytail down and gathered it tighter, putting it up again. "And you're an idiot if you think you're not going to take off in this industry. It's a changing industry. She's fickle. Right now, the stars are shining on me but tomorrow, this is pro-wrestling, Dean, it could be all about you." He rose to get a bottled water for each of them. "Don't let this be a Tampa thing and drive you into being someone you're not." He turned to Dean's cloudy eyes rimmed with tears. He quickly joined his partner's side. "I don't mean you can't handle things ... I didn't mean ..."

"You meant I might end up back living like a junkie." Ambrose wasn't angry. He knew it was very possible. It hurt to hear it and hurt to know he'd taken a few pills from Icy a couple of weeks ago. It was just a handful of Xanax to calm his nerves and he'd not taken anymore. But it was slip up, technically. And it was a lie to Seth and that's what hurt so deeply.

Ambrose let his boyfriend scoop his head up gently and hugged him close. The blond held Seth's body so tightly that he was sure the brunette was uncomfortable. He didn't say anything but just stroked Dean's hair and hugged him back. "Hey, come here." Seth pulled Dean's face close and kissed him. "You and me are going to be great. Both of us." Their kiss turned more from a sweet display to a longing for each other.

Dean sat up and met Seth for deeper, hotter kisses. He pulled the rubber band from Seth's thick hair and put his fingers through it as he plunged his tongue into his partner's mouth. He explored the skin on Seth's neck and along the collarbone; using his mouth. "Baby," he whispered as he kissed along Seth's neck. Dean stood abruptly and tugged Seth's arm. The two went straight for their bed.

Shirts littered the hall as the two, pressed their warm, naked torsos together. Ambrose was opening the fly of Seth's jeans as he continued the lusty kisses on the brunette's mouth. Rollins let the jeans slide down and stepped out of them, his bare feet on the plush rug at the end of their bed. He noticed Dean had opened his own fly but still wore the tattered jeans. Against his lean torso, his ripped jeans and underwear peaking out looked so sexy and wild and so very "Dean."

"Want you," Dean grunted against the brunette's neck. He kissed his partner's neck hard and fierce. "Going to have you." He was mumbling slightly from sheer desire.

Dean was definitely going to have his man. Seth was being just like the blond loved - sexy, submissive and really damn horny. Dean pushed the brunette's boxer-briefs down and lightly smacked his boyfriend's firm ass. "You're so fucking hot," Dean said against the back of Seth's neck. He had his fully-nude lover pulled close to him; Seth backed against Dean. The brunette let his head lie back on Dean's shoulder as Ambrose ran his hands down Seth's hard chest and finely-tuned abs. He grasped the shaft of Seth's dick firmly and pumped it slowly.

Still pumping Seth lazily, Dean moved around to the front of his lover and sat on the bed. He pulled Seth close. Dean licked his palm while looking up at his tasty boyfriend. Seth knew the look well. Dean was one of the few people who could physically be below you but still totally own you with their attitude and that look - that sexy look from Dean's blue-grey eyes - made Seth feel like a meal and Dean his, predator.

Ambrose leaned forward and took Seth into his mouth. The brunette moaned loudly as his boyfriend swallowed his cock whole and began covering it with saliva. "Fuck," Seth barely managed and he gripped Dean's hair. Immediately, Ambrose put a firm slap to Seth's ass and the brunette released his boyfriend's hair.

Dean sucked Seth in deep, slow motion strokes while kneading his ass and moving his hands around to cup the brunette's balls. Seth's eyes were closed but he felt Dean's fingers at his lips. He knew what his partner wanted and he sucked on Dean's middle and index fingers. He sucked those fingers like they were Dean's cock and covered them; making them warm and wet.

The blond pulled his slick fingers from Seth's lips and moved them to the brunette's firm butt. Dean continued the heavenly sucking as he ran his fingers between Seth's cheeks. He found that tight place he loved so fucking much and began gently pushing his wet index finger to get inside. Seth moaned as the blond penetrated his tight circle of muscle and slipped the length of wet digit into his ready ass. He wanted Dean's fingers up him. He wanted Dean's cock up him. He was in a "get fucked hard right now" mood. Dean knew him so well and slipped in the middle finger, filling Seth with both slick fingers. The brunette's moans were low and non-stop as Dean sucked his cock slowly and fucked his ass with slick fingers. Careful to not be too abrupt, Ambrose pulled his digits free and released Seth's cock. He stood.

Seth didn't need instruction or have any damn questions. He crawled onto the bed as Dean got nude behind him. His boyfriend was behind him almost immediately. Ambrose leaned over and quickly found the warming lubricant they kept handy. He covered his cock in the liquid warmth and moved into position. Seth was flat on his belly, thick erection against the unmade bed sheets. Damn, Dean thought Seth looked beyond beautiful like that. He put a kiss at the base of Seth's spine and licked him from bottom to top, just between the shoulderblades.

This moment should have been theirs and theirs alone but hovering quietly just at the end of the hall, Isaac Andrews spied. He couldn't help himself. He'd do just about anything to have Dean or be had by Dean. His post-Emo locks of black hair fell into his green eyes but he could see plenty. He knew he was too young for Dean and really just someone the hardcore blond kept around for free booze but he kept hoping, damn near praying for something like this.

"I want you so bad, Seth," Dean whispered against Seth's dark wavy hair. "I fucking love it when you look so tasty." The brunette just moaned at the sexy, sweet words of his lover. "You want me to fuck you, baby?" Ambrose spoke in a low, raspy voice that made Seth crazy.

"Hell yeah," Seth answered breathlessly as Dean made sure his cock was still slick and ready. He pulled Seth's cheek to the side and pushed his lubed cock against the brunette's relaxed entrance. He entered Seth slowly and moved forward, giving his partner every bit of the thick cock. Seth breathed heavily as his partner filled him and began to pump. The sex was slow and overflowing with lust and passion just like those days on the boat.

Ambrose's pace was slow but his thrusts were hard and we grunted with each. He was giving Seth that deep dicking he knew the brunette had been wanting for days. He pulled Seth with him onto his knees so he could stroke Seth's cock and give him that pleasure along with the penetration.

When Dean's hand grasp the brunette's cock, Seth made a noise of indescribable pleasure. "Oh you fucking love that, don't you?" Dean growled. " I'm going to fill you the fuck up and drain you at the same time." He fucked Seth hard and pumped him swiftly. He really wanted to cum when Seth came; together.

There was no need for announcements. Their breathing, their moans and the way they moved, their orgasms were evident. Dean started moaning as he released his pent-up balls, filling Seth as he'd promised. Immediately Seth was coming into Dean's hand; shaking, whining.

Ambrose was drained and relaxed. He closed his eyes, enjoying those last little spasms. He opened his eyes and something caught his eye. Something moved in the reflection of the glass of a picture over the bed. He turned his head swiftly and for a few moments, he and Isaac locked eyes. Quickly, the ink-haired kid ran away. Dean didn't know what to think and knew a talk with that kid was in order but for now, he just wanted his Seth.

Ambrose lay beside Seth, facing him, leaning in for kisses. "I wish every day was this good."

The brunette gently held Dean's face. "Every day will be this good." He gently kissed Dean. "Every day, baby, will be this good."

 _At Florida Championship Wrestling, present day_

Seth's mind had been wandering. "Oh yes, every day will be this good." He spoke bitterly, so low that no one could hear him. He slammed his locker extra hard. "Every day is just so fucking good," He reiterated, huffing; anger rattled his voice.

He realized that he was alone except for Dean Ambrose who was leaning casually against a row of lockers behind Seth. He was popping gum and watching Seth with a look of curiosity.

Seth turned to face the blond who looked like he'd been there for a quite a while. "What?" Seth snapped.

"Nothin," Ambrose said calmly. "Just watching a dude go crazy. It's entertaining."

Rollins snarled. "Fuck you, Ambrose. Just, fuck you."

Dean shrugged. "Yeah, that's probably what you need ... I mean if you want those good days you were bitching about." Dean kept intense eye contact with Seth when he said those sexy things that he shouldn't be saying. He moved close to Seth as he headed to the door. "Fucking me used to make your days fucking great," he whispered and slipped out of the locker room

Seth stood frozen. He would eventually be angry but right now, he was in shock. Pure shock.


	5. Chapter 5

Laying across his bed in his bedroom in a Tampa, Florida apartment shared with 2 other wrestlers, Seth Rollins fumed as he replayed Dean's snide little comments at the end of that day. Seth lay on his back, shirtless, staring at the ceiling and wondering what Dean meant. Ambrose had clearly said that Seth needed to get a good fucking if he were to feel better. Did Ambrose think that he lay around wishing he was still riding Dean's dick? The nerve of that smartass was unbearable. But really, mostly, it angered to no end that it had gotten to him - just a little bit. Dean's tone had been so promising of pleasure, he'd stared Seth right in the eyes and looked like he meant every word he was saying. And it affected Seth.

Even lying there in his small room, his cock was hard inside his workout shorts. He was hard after hearing Dean's sandpaper whisper. "Fucking me used to make your days fucking great," he'd said with confidence and the moves to back it up. Ambrose was a damn good lay and he knew that Seth knew it. Every time Seth replayed the incident, Dean was closer. The locker room morphed into their bedroom back in Philly. And Dean's lips were smoothing against Seth's ear as he spoke. In Seth's fantasy, that's how it was playing out. He stroked his cock through his thin shorts, thinking of Dean's raspy voice and sexy words. Yes, fucking Dean did make his days great. Had his ex meant it? Was Ambrose telling Rollins that he wanted to have him in his bed? Though he hated giving in to the urge, Seth jerked his cock to a powerful orgasm thinking about letting Dean please him. No one would know he'd done it and yet, he still felt ashamed. He hated allowing Dean to have that power over him.

The following day in the gym was grueling and there was the stress of probably seeing Dean. He didn't have to wait long. He watched the tall dark-blond haired man as he went through a set of chest presses. He must've just zoned out because when he focused, Dean was staring at him. The blond stood and slipped his shirt off, keeping his eye contact with Rollins. An outsider might take this exchange for some bad blood and perhaps a true-life feud brewing but there was something subtle in the stares that told another story. William Regal was watching through the glass at the little exchange. He lifted a brow. "Hmm." He really didn't catch a homosexual vibe in Dean but this display changed his mind. "Well, they were certainly fucking like minks at some point in time," He said to no one except himself. He prided himself on reading people. And the two young men looked ready to either fuck each other or kill each other. Tension. Beautiful tension. Regal loved it.

Back in the gym, Rollins realized that he'd been pulled into Dean's gaze for quite some time and looked away. He remembered when they'd first met. Ambrose barely gave him a glance while Seth pined over the blond, wanting him desperately. He wasn't going to pine for the bastard again. He headed for the showers. After splashing cold water on his face, Seth opened his eyes to find Ambrose leaning against the wall behind him. "Hey," Dean said casually.

"Hey?" Seth was infuriated with Dean's demeanor. "You talked to me like you did yesterday and then today, you're just chill?" Seth looked around making sure they were alone. "What are you? A fucking stalker?"

"Nope," Ambrose answered and crossed his arms over his chest. "Why? You wanna be stalked?" Ambrose smirked and looked Seth's hot body over.

Rollins was livid. He did not enjoy being a plaything for Dean's brand new WWE attitude. "Get real," He barked at Dean.

Seth wasn't sure what was happening. He'd been standing there arguing with Dean and now the two were inside a closed shower stall, kissing hungrily. Ambrose had Seth against the wall and devoured his mouth. His hands were firmly against Seth's flat, sculpted abs. The blond finally pulled back, leaving Seth still stunned from the kiss. Dean was inches from Seth's face. "Don't ever tell me," He flicked his tongue out and licked Seth's sexy bottom lip, "To 'get real' because believe me," He kissed Seth hard but quickly, "I will get very fucking real." He took Seth in one more liplock, slipping his tongue into Seth's mouth and the brunette didn't fight back. Dean released his long-lost love and was out of the shower stall and then out the restroom door. Seth sat down in the stall, still wearing his shorts and sneakers. Ambrose had been all over him and didn't seem to have any plans to back off.

There was a part of Seth that wanted to find Dean and make plans to meet later. Maybe they'd have some dinner, some cold beer. Maybe they'd end up making sweaty, satisfied love. Or maybe … maybe Dean was still Dean and Seth was done with that shit. For good.

 _Four years before in Philly…_

After a short wonderful period of bonding, love, sex and closeness, the world began to speed up again for the guys. Seth suddenly had a full schedule and another invite to Japan. Meanwhile, Dragon Gate dropped Dean from their roster completely. The two sat on the couch and closeness they'd shared for a few days was gone. There was a wall between them. "I think CZW is looking like my only hope. That's if they'll have me," Dean told his partner who looked tense.

"You want to blade and have your forehead fucked up? You want to breathe in the dust from light tubes? You want to be beaten bloody so a bunch of …" Seth stopped talking when he saw Ambrose staring at the floor, again tears were on the rims of his eyes. Twice in the last month, Rollins had seen his partner close to tears. This was not HIS Dean. "We'll figure it out," Seth said much more gently. A hard pounding on the door made him jump. He cursed and went to open it. There stood Icy, cooler in hand, ridiculous sunglasses on, smiling. "It's a bad time, Isaac."

"Well, Deano invited me so …" He waited patiently at the door.

Ambrose stood. He'd dried his tears and had his game face on. "Icy, you motherfucker!" he shouted as if he were glad to see the kid. Rollins saw through the act. Isaac barged in and started putting beer in the refrigerator and Seth pulled Dean down the hall. "I know. I know," Dean started. "Look you're wrestling tonight and I need to talk to Isaac. Alone." He saw the suspicion in Seth's deep brown eyes. "It's nothing. I need to tell him that I know he has a thing for me but I'm yours." Ambrose meant it. The brunette relaxed. Dean had not and would not be telling Seth about Icy spying on their very personal moment. But he was going to let Isaac know that shit like that didn't fly and he if he ever tried to come between Seth and himself, there would be HELL TO PAY.

Isaac was already on the couch, grabbing the game controllers with two beers on the coffee table. "You didn't want a beer, right Seth?" Isaac asked in an attempt to kiss some ass. If the kid had known that later that night, he was going to get a full-on ass beating by a pissed off Seth Rollins, he would've probably moved out of the city immediately. But some people only learn the hard way.


	6. Chapter 6

Isaac, Icy in his own fantasy world, stared at Dean as the two watched a movie. They'd played video games until Seth left for the night. He was wrestling and would be back late. He gave Isaac a look he'd given him many times. It was simple to read - "Touch Dean and I will kill you." But Isaac pined for Dean. He thought about him all the time. He wanted him so badly that even that frightening look from Seth could not deter him.

It was easy to watch Dean because he became so engrossed in horror movies and the remake of "Dawn of the Dead" was playing. Icy thought Dean might complain that it wasn't the original but he seemed to enjoy the movie and even sang along to the silly remake of "Down With the Sickness" by Disturbed that Richard Cheese had recorded for the movie. Icy was growing out his dyed-black emo haircut and could look through his hair at Dean and he did this often. Right now, Dean looked delicious. His mop of dark blonde hair was in the style that Isaac thought of as "fuck-it hair." It was messy but sexy at the same time. He liked Dean's light greyish eyes and pouty bottom lip.

As the movie ended, Dean muted the television and took a long drink from his beer bottle. He sighed heavily and turned to Isaac. "Okay. We gotta talk so this doesn't get weirder." It was awkward bringing up Icy's spying but it had to be done.

Isaac faced Dean quite bravely and started. "I'm sorry. It was wrong to watch you being, you know, private with Seth. I won't do it again. I should've knocked and then I should've left when I saw you guys. Okay?" He knew it had been wrong but his apology was a lie. He would've watched if he had it to do over again. He fantasized about Dean so much and seeing him actually doing the things he could only imagine - it was impossible to turn away; though he hated it that it was Seth and not him.

"Well, damn, I didn't think you'd just own it." Ambrose was impressed with the kid. Isaac was only a couple of years younger than Dean but he seemed like a kid. He had a baby face and was growing out of this emo phase. He acted way too happy over everything that Dean said and did. He just seemed like a child.

"Well, you looked right at me." Isaac seemed pretty calm considering the subject. It made Dean a bit nervous for Isaac to be so at ease talking about it. "I can't say I didn't see anything. You caught me." He shrugged his shoulders. He saw a hint of surprise in Dean's eyes. "What?" Isaac asked. "You think I'm just this stupid kid that likes you and I'm too afraid to admit it?" He pushed his black-tipped hair out of his eyes. "I'm not afraid to admit I like you." his voice was soft and much more mature than usual. "I like you a lot. And I am sorry I invaded your privacy … but I'm not sorry that I saw you." He looked down. "I knew you'd be good. I knew you'd be hot in bed and …"

Dean cut Isaac off quickly. "Hey, stop it." He scooted a little further away on the couch. "You're crossing a line here, Isaac. You're saying too much. Okay?" He picked up his beer and took a quick sip just out of nervous energy.

"I love you, Dean." Isaac was so sincere. His eyes pleaded for Dean to love him back. "I love everything about you. And I'm like right here. I wouldn't leave you alone all the time. When I finish tech school, I'll have a good job and you can wrestle and I'll make sure you're okay."

"You don't know everything about me," Dean reasoned. "You couldn't possibly love everything about me. You don't know my dark side. Seth stuck with me through a shitstorm. Dude, you have a crush." Dean smiled. "And that's cool. Crushes happen." He was trying to get the moment under control. "But we're awesome friends, man. Right?"

Isaac's serious expression was unchanged. "I want to be more than friends. I can love you better than Seth can. He leaves you here alone all the time knowing your heart aches. I would never do that to you." With alcohol in his system and his desire for Dean driving him, Isaac pushed. He moved closer to Dean who was retreating. "I'm better than Seth, for you. I would be here for you. I care about your dreams."

Ambrose was backed to the end of the couch and a bit shocked by Isaac's behavior. " I don't love you." Dean's tone left no question. "I'm with Seth. I only want Seth."

"Just let me show you," Isaac pleaded and crawled on top of Dean who was pushing him away. He didn't want to hurt the kid. He could've easily knocked him out but he was trying to be compassionate. "I love you," Isaac repeated and tried to kiss Dean.

"Get off me," Dean said loudly in a serious tone. "Stop it." Isaac still pursued. "Stop it."

Seth had an early match and had come straight home. He wanted to be with Dean and try to comfort him. He'd come in and heard enough to know that Isaac was pursuing his boyfriend aggressively and Dean was not interested. He wasn't going to burst in and fight Dean's battle. But when he heard worry in Dean's voice and the words "Get off me", he became immediately involved. He came around the foyer to see Isaac practically climbing onto Dean who was pushing him off but trying not to hurt him. Seth gave no fucks about hurting Isaac.

With no warning, Seth punched Isaac hard in the jaw. The kid fell into the floor and grabbed his jaw as blood poured from his mouth. All Seth could think about was hearing these promises of how Isaac could love Dean better than he could. He couldn't find any compassion. He quickly rounded the couch and pulled Isaac by the hair away from the coffee table and began to kick him hard in the ribs. He crouched down to Isaac's level. "You want to crawl all over my boyfriend?" He punched Isaac in the mouth. "Huh? Is that what you think is okay you little bitch?" He punched him again. Isaac was crying. Dean was paralyzed.

Seth grabbed Isaac by the upper arm and the waistband of his jeans and literally threw him into the refrigerator. It shook violently. The contents could be heard turning over and some glass breaking. Isaac left a blood smear down the front of the white appliance. "Seth, stop." His words were mumbles as his busted lip was already swelling. "Stop" He covered his head with hands and Seth kicked him in the sternum. Dean finally snapped out of his moment of shock and wrestled Seth away. There was a faraway look in Seth's eyes. They were trained on Isaac as if killing that kid was the only thing he was thinking about. Seth shook Dean off easily and kicked Isaac again. Isaac coughed and sputtered blood.

Ambrose got Seth in a bear hug and took him down to the floor. He held the brunette tightly even as Seth tried to get away. He seemed to have the strength of three men. "Seth!" Dean kept yelling his boyfriend's name, trying to reach him. He cared if Isaac was hurt but he cared even more about Seth getting arrested. "Seth!" He held his partner tightly until the brunette seemed to snap out of his trance.

"I'm okay," Seth said in a low voice. He was out of breath. "I'm okay. I promise." His voice sounded sincere and Dean slowly let him go. Seth sat up and then leaned against the kitchen cabinet just under the sink. He looked at Isaac and saw the damage he'd done. He was only the slightest bit sorry at the moment. He'd had enough Isaac coming around trying to flirt with Dean and tonight, he'd stepped over the line that Seth drawn in his mind.

Dean went to Isaac and looked him over. He thought he might have broken ribs and wasn't sure about his jaw. "You should go to the ER." Isaac shook his head in agreement, still crying. Dean helped him up and the kid grunted in pain. He walked him by Seth who stayed seated and said nothing. It didn't please Seth that Dean was coddling Isaac. But then he heard Dean speaking in a low voice at their door. "Call your mom. You tell your mom that you got jumped leaving our place."

"But Seth did it." Isaac cried.

"Shut your mouth." Dean was serious. "You got jumped leaving our place. If you tell your mom or the doctors or the cops that Seth did this, I will fuck you up ten times worse. You get it? Because I'm dead fucking serious."

"I hate you." Isaac was crying loudly now. "I'm never coming back here."

"Good. Don't." Dean opened the door. "Get stepping and you better keep your goddamn mouth shut." He pushed Isaac into the night and shut the door. He looked out the window to see his former friend limping towards his own house. He knew Isaac wouldn't tell. Despite his words, Isaac certainly did not hate Dean and would not want to upset him. Dean felt very secure that Isaac wasn't going to be turning Seth in.

Ambrose turned to Seth who was still sitting on the kitchen floor. "That was way too much, man. What the hell?" He was still more worried about Seth getting in trouble than Isaac being hurt but he couldn't excuse Seth's overreaction.

Rollins just stared into space. "I heard you tell him to get off you and I snapped." He finally looked at Dean. "I was letting you handle it but you were too nice. You let him get too damn close. I couldn't stop myself. He's had it coming for weeks." He hoisted himself off the floor. "I'm not sorry."

"I don't want you to get in trouble. It's bad for your career." Dean took a seat on the couch and nodded for Seth to sit beside him. "You already have a record."

"Nobody knows about that. Thomas took care of it," Seth argued. "Are you standing up for Isaac, Icy, whatever?

"No and I know you heard me tell him to get lost and I'm pretty sure I scared him bad enough that he won't tell on you." Ambrose stroked Seth bicep. "I know our past mistakes are 'erased' if you will. But some people know. We don't want some jerkoff from Jack Wise coming up and telling our stories." He saw Seth was understanding his concern. "We need to lay low like forever when it comes to breaking the law. Ya know?"

"Yeah," Seth relented. "I know." He smiled slightly and gave Dean a sideways glance. "Yes, I did hear you threaten him. You stood up for me. Thanks." He clasped Dean's hand that rested on his tanned arm. "So, yeah, I kinda have blood on me." He looked at his t-shirt and his hands. "The shirt is trash. And I need a shower."

"I'll take care of the shirt," Dean told his partner. "And I could come join you for that shower?" He smiled and raised his brows. Rollins smiled back and stood, pulling Dean along towards the bathroom.

Isaac's mother took him to the ER. He told her and police that he was jumped a street over from his house. He said he didn't even see the guys but there were a few. He was too afraid to tell on Seth. He wasn't afraid of being beat up. He was afraid of upsetting Dean. Because despite Dean's rejection and the terrible beating from Seth, Isaac still longed to have Dean for himself.


	7. Chapter 7

_I know this story is coming in little trickles but be patient. There is a story here and it will unfold. I promise. :) X T L._

 _At Florida Championship Wrestling, present_

The sun beat down on Seth Rollin's bare torso as he left the gym and headed for his, now, oven of a car. He'd left behind his black Camry when he left Dean back in Philly several years before. The car wasn't in his name and he couldn't just take a car given to him by Dean's grandfather. He had been doing well and managed to buy a used Honda Civic in very good condition. It wasn't fancy but it had low miles, a CD player and great air-conditioning. He couldn't wait to get in and put the cold air on full blast. His poor car was well over 100 degrees on the inside by now. As he pressed the remote control to open his doors, he gave an aggravated little huff. A sleek black Mercedes was parked behind him, trapping his car in the slot.

Rollins tossed his gear in the backseat of his car and started the engine so at least, the interior would start cooling down. He would go try to find the careless owner. "Rich people," He barked.

"Are they so bad?" A familiar voice added to his thought on wealthy people. Seth's eyes were full of tears before he turned around.

"Thomas!" He practically threw himself into Dean's grandfather's arms who instantly hugged him tightly and patted his back. "I missed you so much," Seth cried without shame. He loved Thomas deeply and didn't care who saw his display. Thomas was like a second father to him.

"Seth, Seth, it's okay." Thomas hugged the young man before pointing out Seth's strength. "You're squeezing me too much, Seth." Thomas chuckled as Seth released him. "You forget you're young and strong. I'm an old man." Thomas kept a hand on Seth's shoulder and smiled at him.

"I'm sorry, Thomas." Seth wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "I just miss you and I wanted to come by but I didn't know if that was okay or if you might be mad at me. I mean I know you said you weren't when we talked on the phone, I guess it was last year. Was it? Yeah, last year. But then I got here and I got nervous…"

Thomas lightly shook Seth. "Take a breath, son," He joked with Seth. Obviously, Seth was still nervous. "I'm not mad and I understand." Thomas smiled his kind smile and his eyes - identical in color to his grandson's - were warm and calming. Seth instantly felt better and returned the smile. He knew that if Thomas said something, that it was truth and he could see that time and his break-up with Dean had not changed the way Thomas felt about him. "I thought," He said as he patted Seth's warm back, "That we could head over to Cooper's and get a big dinner. Grab yourself a shirt and we'll catch up." Thomas already had his mind made up and Seth was very hungry. Eating at a nice place like Cooper's with it's delicious steak and seafood sounded like Heaven.

Seth turned his car off and slipped on a t-shirt. Cooper's was nice but not exactly a fancy place and this time of day, it wouldn't be very crowded. "Hey how'd you know my car?" It occurred to Seth that Thomas didn't know about the white Honda.

Before the tall older man got into the car, he smiled broadly. "A little bird told me."

Seth opened the passenger door to see Dean sitting in the backseat with a sheepish grin on his face. "Peep, peep," Dean said in a high-pitched voice, taking the blame for being Thomas' "little bird."

Seth stood motionless with the door open about to back out of going before Thomas quickly spoke. "Get in, get in. You're letting my nice cold air out." Seth slipped into the leather seat hesitantly and shut the door. He felt ambushed but he was so happy to see Thomas that he couldn't stay upset. Seth knew Thomas was not a dishonest man at all and would usually never play a part in trickery. But Thomas had one week spot; his grandson Dean who he'd do anything for including this hostage situation that Seth had been put in. "We're all going to get along and be civil and kind," Thomas announced. "Seth, if you think Dean put me up to this, you'd be wrong. It was _me_ who wanted to have dinner with my boys. And I'm old so I should get my way." He maneuvered to the parking lot exit and turned onto the busy street. A car was fairly close but Thomas pressed the gas down on the powerful Mercedes and it knocked Seth back into his seat.

"Jesus, Grandad," Dean piped up from the backseat. "This ain't Nascar."

Thomas just laughed. "If you have the horsepower, use it." The Mercedes was now traveling at a normal speed, gliding down the highway.

"I let you have shotgun, Seth," Dean pointed out from the backseat.

The brunette didn't look back. "Thanks," he said quietly. "You knew if I saw you I wouldn't go so you weren't exactly being generous." His tone was flat. He didn't want to offend Thomas and again, he realized that he was trapped.

"I was feeling giving," Dean said, suddenly close to Seth's ear. The brunette scooted toward the window. Dean remained close, leaning his head on Seth's seat until Thomas spoke up.

"Dean, get back in your seat and put your seatbelt on. You know my rules."

Seth silently laughed as he looked out the window. Dean saw his shoulders shaking. "Shut up!" Dean announced from the backseat like a petulant child.

"I'm not saying anything," Seth answered calmly.

"You're laughing," Dean shot back.

"Boys!" Thomas snapped. "I said we're going to be kind and civil, so be kind and civil, okay?"

Dean sighed loudly. "Okay. Sorry, granddad."

"Me too," Seth added. "I'm sorry, Thomas."

Thomas seemed to be concentrating on his driving and muttering under his breath, "Like having a couple of 5-year-olds in the car instead of grown men. Ridiculous."

At Cooper's, Seth was thankful that Dean was on his best behavior. Seth actually enjoyed catching up with Thomas and Dean didn't do anything to spoil the mood. He was rather quiet and mostly paid attention to his steak and lobster meal. Seth was slightly concerned as he noticed Dean had ordered a third Jack & Coke. Thomas was so happy to see Seth that he was wasn't paying attention to Dean's rising drink count.

As Seth was finishing his meal and telling Thomas about going to Japan, Dean suddenly spoke up. "Yeah, my grandfather's been to Japan too. You're not telling him anything new."

Thomas gave Dean a stern look. "It's fine, son. My visit was a long time ago and I certainly wasn't wrestling." He laughed.

"That was pretty much all anyway," Seth said quietly and took a sip of beer. He noticed Dean was on his forth or was it his fifth Jack & Coke with very little Coke.

"I have been to Japan, Grandad. But it was after he went," Dean said loudly. "Did you know that?"

"Yes, Dean, I know. We've talked about it." Thomas kept his voice low and calm. "Let's talk a little quieter."

"Why?" Dean looked around at the mostly empty restaurant. "Nobody' s here." He drank the last of his Jack Daniels. "Do you, you wanna know why I went to Japan by myself?" His words were slurred as he looked at Thomas. Dean's grandfather closed his eyes as if he had a headache. "Because HE kicked me out of our house and HE went to there, to Japan and lots of places without me."

"I know, Dean." Thomas tried to keep Dean calm. He knew all too well how out of control his grandson could get. He'd stayed with Thomas for awhile after Seth broke the relationship off.

Thomas quickly paid the check and left a large tip for the trouble. The staff looked relieved that Dean was leaving. "What?" Dean asked a waiter who was looking at him with disapproval. Thomas pulled Dean along.

When all three were in the car, Dean laid down in the backseat. Seth looked to Thomas. "I'm so sorry, Thomas."

"No, no. I'm sorry," Thomas was just as upset. "It was a bad plan. I shouldn't have surprised you like that." Seth was going to assure him that it was okay but Thomas put the car in reverse and concentrated on the rearview mirror.

Seth looked into the backseat to see Dean had passed out. Just like a tornado, he'd come through, done his damage and then calmly wilted away. He knew he could never take Dean back. But did he _know_ it? For sure? He noticed how Dean looked so calm and cute right now. Seth was angry for even thinking that. "Be strong," He thought to himself.


End file.
